Adrian Arrona-Garcia is a mental health advocate, community organizer, and the student chosen to deliver the commencement address at his College of Marin graduation. He earned high honors every semester, led a conference on mentorship for first-generation students, and was accepted to Columbia University.
Adrian’s path to that podium was not a straight line. When he was eleven, his parents divorced and his family was forced into a homeless shelter for a year. He promised himself he would do whatever it took to bring his family out of poverty. After high school, he spent close to a decade working to support them—putting his own education on hold.
When he finally enrolled at College of Marin, Adrian was determined to focus entirely on his studies. But a family emergency forced a sudden move, and Adrian couldn’t make rent. The Basic Needs Hub provided emergency funds for housing. Without that support, he says, he might have faced homelessness again—this time while trying to earn a degree.
